Time and again, Mengelberg tried to persuade Mahler to conduct his own works in Amsterdam. See Gustav Mahler himself in the Netherlands , , , and During these visits, the composer was staying with the Mengelbergs at their home House Willem Mengelberg.
Mengelberg was one of the most important Mahler pioneers who deserves a special place of honour in our remembrance. In addition, many of these scores also contain instructions and remarks of Mahler himself: tangible and visible evidence of the close ties between Willem Mengelberg and Gustav Mahler.
Mengelberg was the fourth of fifteen children of German-born parents in Utrecht, Netherlands. In , when he was 20, he was chosen as General Music Director of the city of Luzern Switzerland, where he conducted an orchestra and a choir, directed a music school, taught piano lessons and continued to compose.
Four years later, in , when he was 24, Mengelberg was appointed principal conductor of the Concertgebouw Orchestra, a position he held until Year In this position, Mengelberg was to premiere a number of masterpieces.
Mengelberg founded the long-standing Mahler tradition of the Concertgebouw. He met and befriended Gustav Mahler in , and invited Mahler to conduct his Third Symphony in Amsterdam in ; and on October 23, , Mahler led the orchestra in his Fourth Symphony twice in one concert, with no other work on the program. Probably and not : Utrecht, Netherlands. Published by Allert de Lange, Amsterdam.
